Charlotte-short connection

[maxiesmom]

Due to the airline changing our flight, we (my sister and I) now only have a 48 minute connection. We are coming from Grand Rapids, Mi and connect in Charlotte on our way to Orlando. Would you pay extra and move up into preferred seats? It would move us up 5 rows, and cost a total of $28.

 

[RedHead0186]

Everyone is going to have different levels of comfort with airports and connections. My general rule of thumb is no connection less than an hour. 48 minutes is likely doable; if I recall correctly Charlotte isn't a huge airport. But even the slightest of delay could mess up that timing. It's also worth looking to see if there are other flights from Charlotte to Orlando that you could theoretically take if you miss your original connection (though again, that's based on availability). It also depends on whether you have to be to Orlando at a certain time, or if you're flexible.

I would say $28 is a good price for two people to move up 5 rows.

 

[sam_gordon]

Everyone is going to have different levels of comfort with airports and connections. My general rule of thumb is no connection less than an hour. 48 minutes is likely doable; if I recall correctly Charlotte isn't a huge airport. But even the slightest of delay could mess up that timing. It's also worth looking to see if there are other flights from Charlotte to Orlando that you could theoretically take if you miss your original connection (though again, that's based on availability). It also depends on whether you have to be to Orlando at a certain time, or if you're flexible.

I would say $28 is a good price for two people to move up 5 rows.

I disagree. Charlotte (IMO) is pretty spread out...
If you're only in one terminal (say the B gates), definitely not a problem. However, if you're going from B to E, it could be problematic.

Since it was their change that gave you the narrow connection, contact the airline, tell them you're concerned about the tight connection and will they move you for free more toward the front? Five rows might gain you a couple of minutes, but I think that's about it.

Looking for what other flights are available if you do miss your connection is a good idea also.

 

[sam_gordon]

I will say, DW & I have a 41 minute in ATL Saturday morning. I think we can make it.

 

[EACarlson]

I don't see the thirty seconds you're going to save as being worth the price. Minimum Connection Time at CLT is 40 minutes, and there will be plenty of flights CLT-MCO, I show 11 per day. If you don't have any mobility issues I think you'll be fine.

 

[RedHead0186]

I disagree. Charlotte (IMO) is pretty spread out...

Fair point. I was misremembering my time in CLT (or was only in one terminal so it felt relatively small).

 

[Lewisc]

Use a site like www.flightstats.com or www.flightaware.com. See what gate your incoming and outgoing flights use. How close. They can always change but you might see a pattern.

 

[_19disnA]

If you are asking about moving up a few rows on the INBOUND flight to save some time upon arrival, I don't think that really matters that much. Check similar flights on other days to see which terminal they typically use. Smaller/commuter type aircraft typically land in a different terminal and then how far you have to walk to the next flight will be longer.

 

[Donna M]

Not clear on how moving up a few seats has anything to do with connection time, you will still be on the same airplane. Seems like two questions are getting jumbled into one.

I don´t think 5 rows will help much, maybe 20, but if you are in the back and have to wait for the whole plane to empty then that will add a good deal of time to get to your next gate which means you may miss the flight if they close the doors.

 

[saraheliz]

I'd definitely call the airline and see if they'll move you up for free (or change in another beneficial way to you, including a different flight if that's an option) since they changed the timing to be so tight. Southwest changed our flights last year and when I called, they were happy to move us at no cost to an entirely different departure airport to flights that worked much better for timing (and that I would have originally purchased if they had been less expensive point-wise). It took a little while on the phone since there was a lot to move and she had to refund and then recharge our early bird check in, but it was worth the wait.

 

[georgina]

Spent a lot of time in the Charlotte airport on Saturday and Sunday. Saw irate people who had tight connections and made it to the gate out of breath 10 minutes before their flight, but American had given their seats away to standby folks and closed the door. It's a big airport, is one of your flights on a small plane (could be the E gates) and the other on a larger plane (possibly another concourse)?

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

Have you called the airline to see if they will move you to a different flight? Either an earlier starting flight or later connection flight? Since they changed the schedule they should in theory work with you and change for free. I would just do a little research and find new flights that work so you are armed with the info and can spoon feed the agent the desired flights.

 

[seashoreCM]

I second the idea of first hand picking alternate flights that would work out better for so it will be quicker to ask to be moved those flights. Feel free to call back a little later and/or ask for a supervisor if the first person you talk to wants to charge you more or does not want to give you those flights (if the alternate flights are also not fully sold out).

IMHO minimum connection time is to reign in business travelers who want to cut things even closer and tighter. Not applicable to families and persons who want and planned more time to get to their next flight and still get their reserved seats and boarding zone, but got cut short because the flight schedule changed.

 

[EACarlson]

No experience with this on American, but when my family and I were on Delta on our trip to WDW in 2019, they switched me to the flight I told them I wanted with no questions when their schedule changes left me with a connection time I wasn't comfortable with. How much do you care about your seats from CLT-MCO? I would rather keep the 48 minute connection knowing that if I miss it, I'll be on the next one an hour later than book myself on the 108 minute connection and have been able to make the 48. I'm assuming that the GRR-CLT route isn't frequent enough to change that leg.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

Last week we spent 8 hours at CLT. Mostly due to airplane mechanical issues. 5 gate changes and three planes (all with problems in CLT) and we finally got home. The reason I say this is that with 48 minutes you have no margin for error. 20 minutes to deplane and 30 minutes to board and virtually no time to go from point A to B. If you are held up for any reason at your first airport, fog, storm, Summer travel increase or they don't have a gate ready in CLT you are SOL. During our over extended layover we too saw so many people running for gates. IMHO AA has put their flights way too close together in CLT and CLT has become a very busy airport. Just my 2 cents-move the flight

 

[sam_gordon]

No experience with this on American, but when my family and I were on Delta on our trip to WDW in 2019, they switched me to the flight I told them I wanted with no questions when their schedule changes left me with a connection time I wasn't comfortable with. How much do you care about your seats from CLT-MCO? I would rather keep the 48 minute connection knowing that if I miss it, I'll be on the next one an hour later than book myself on the 108 minute connection and have been able to make the 48. I'm assuming that the GRR-CLT route isn't frequent enough to change that leg.

This is me. Sure, I'd prefer booking a 60-90 minute connection, but I'll chance a 45 if the next option is 3+ hours. Cost could also be a factor.

ATL I have made inter terminal connections in as little as 15 minutes (actually my tightest was 5 minutes). Charlotte however I don't think is laid out as efficiently.

 

[jimmymc]

Charlotte airport is infamous for missed connections. People/airlines assume it's a small airport and they can make them, but the walks between gates take a long time. 48 minutes will be tight but doable. I don't think 5 rows forward makes any real difference.

 

[Mle8308]

Everyone is going to have different levels of comfort with airports and connections. My general rule of thumb is no connection less than an hour. 48 minutes is likely doable; if I recall correctly Charlotte isn't a huge airport. But even the slightest of delay could mess up that timing. It's also worth looking to see if there are other flights from Charlotte to Orlando that you could theoretically take if you miss your original connection (though again, that's based on availability). It also depends on whether you have to be to Orlando at a certain time, or if you're flexible.

I would say $28 is a good price for two people to move up 5 rows.

Actually, Charlotte is huge, very spread out. It's a hub for American Airlines. As others have suggested, call your airline to ask about switching flights at their expense, since they changed your times. I've has this happen on occasion and the airline made the change for me, at no additional charge.

 

[disneygeek401]

If you're flying American, it is a major hub for them. You are likely going to have to get to another terminal, as the airline probably has MANY gates at CLT. If you are flying another airline, they probably have fewer gates so it might be easier to make the connection.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Not to take over the thread but I’m in a similar situation. AA changed my flight times and I now have a 44 min connection instead of the original 90. The one caveat is that we are on super early flights. As in flight one lands in CLT at 6:31 AM and flight two takes off from CLT at 7:15 AM. So I’m hoping I’ll make my connection since both flights are super early in the AM. But I’m still not wild about it